Chapter Text
Ayaka took one step out of the estate, gazing at the outside world of Inazuma. She sighs rather deeply.
"Another day under the Shogun again..."
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The director disruptively barged into Zhongli's late night tea time. She happily skipped towards the older, who's looking at his boss with the utmost confusion.
"Master Hu? What brings you here on this fine night?" Zhongli questioned her sudden visit. It wasn't very like her to visit him during his break, especially when she was working as well.
Hu Tao only smiles at the past Geo Archon, not in a cheeky or genuine way, a kind of "Hey, I have news!" smile.
"Mr Zhongli, I'll be leaving for a business trip with a few other colleagues of ours! We'll be gone for around two months so while that happens, I need you to watch over Wangsheng Funeral Parlor while I'm gone~"
Zhongli could only blankly stare at her for a few seconds before opening his mouth for a couple words.
"Oh? And may I know where this place you're traveling to?"
"Oh! We've been invited to travel to Inazuma!"
Zhongli was appalled to hear such a thing. Inazuma? But isn't that nation closed for whatever reason the Shogun wants to do? Why does Hu Tao need to travel there? Will she be ok? Two months is a very long time. Zhongli couldn't help but be stuck in his thoughts as Hu Tao rambled about the trip until she noticed that he looked as if he was in deep thought.
"Hey! Zhongli! Are you even listening!?" Hu Tao snapped her fingers in front of his face, directing his attention to the director.
"Apologies, director. I was just deep in my thoughts about your little trip. Mind enlighten me on how you plan to journey there?" Zhongli asked calmly, concerned for his boss's safety.
"Right! The other day I was wandering around Guyun Stone Forest and I saw Beidou's ship anchored around there. We finally met after all this time and she agreed to sail us to Inazuma!"
Zhongli was almost baffled to hear Hu Tao, of all people, convince Captain Beidou to allow them to sail to Inazuma but still…
"Tell me, director. Why is it that you need to attend this trip? Have some minor events occurred over there that your guidance is needed?" Zhongli was almost desperate to figure out the reason behind why the director must travel to Inazuma.
"I don't have the whole picture myself but I think that ever since the Vision Hunt Degree happened, a lot more people have been slaughtered by the Tenryou Commission simply because they wouldn't give their ambitions up. I've been invited to help and plan over 10 funerals now which is why I'll be gone for such a long time. A real shame, isn't it?" Hu Tao explained the whole situation as far as she knew.
Zhongli still couldn't find himself to believe that the Shogun would do such things. He'd try to reason with her, maybe even inviting Barbatos but with his gnosis gone, he's powerless at the moment.
"We'll be leaving in three days so when I leave, I will entrust the parlor to you!" Hu Tao happily skipped away, probably preparing for her trip.
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Inazuma was actually quite sunny on this day. On any other day, it would've been sort of cloudy with a bit of sunshine. Ayaka looked up at the sky, she made a tiny grin as she glanced at the sun but squinting from the brightness.
"M'Lady, we may need to pick up our paste. Your brother is waiting for us" Thoma stated. Ayaka turned to Thoma, did a small nod and approached Thoma.
They met up with Ayato in the center of Inazuma City. Ayaka and Ayato have been attending some more business in Inazuma City together since The Yashiro Commission and The Tenryo Commission have been collaborating on a few events and festivals lately. As Ayaka and Thoma saw Ayato, Ayaka's attention was directed towards some outlanders that seemed to be wearing Liyue attire. They've been drawing a lot of attention from the public, probably due to the fact that there's a girl with a pyro vision that doesn't seem to be targeted by the Vision Hunt Degree.
"Come on, guys! Don't drop all the coffins! We need them in their best condition!" Hu Tao exclaimed to her co-workers.
"Director, please! The city is so big! It'll take ages to find the hotel! Especially with all these heavy crates and coffins!" One of the employees complained to the young director.
Hu Tao stopped walking and quickly turned around.
"Alright, put everything down and rest for now. We've been sleeping on a boat last night so I guess everyone would feel seasick or something like that. I'll walk around by myself and look for the hotel and when I do, I'll come back and lead you all, ok?" Hu Tao thought on the top of her head. All her colleagues blankly stared at her, almost worried?
"But director! This city is quite big, are you certain you won't get lost!?" One of them asked, quite concerned.
"It'll be ok! Don't worry, you people get WAY too nervous!" Hu Tao giggled and cheerfully skipped away.
Ayaka couldn't help but think about how Hu Tao seemed too relaxed in a different nation. Why wasn't her vision taken yet? Ayaka still had her attention towards the director until she felt a hand on her shoulder, placed gently but suddenly. She jumped at the sudden touch and turned around to only see Thoma.
"M'Lady, are you alright? You need to attend this meeting in your best condition. If you're feeling sick or anything, I can take you back to the Estate" Thoma said, concerned about Ms Kamisato.
"Thank you for having me on your mind but really, I'm alright. I can still continue this meeting. Let's go" Ayaka reassured her friend as she kept walking towards her brother.
During the meeting, Ayaka couldn't help but be caught off guard by the meeting and think about how immature that pyro vision bearer girl was. Ayaka was reminded of Yoimiya when she thought about the foreign vision bearer. Ayaka was still shocked about how she still kept her vision and wore it out in the open. With that, Ayato tapped on her shoulder, getting Ayaka's attention back into the meeting. Why was she even thinking about some random stranger? It wasn't like her to wander her thoughts about something else.
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Ayaka could barely remember what happened in the meeting. After the meeting, Ayaka had to take a walk alone. She left to wander around Chinju Forest, it was quite late and Ayaka wasn't even sure if it was still night or if it was just extremely early in the morning. Despite how late it was, Ayaka did not feel tired at all. She sighed, even though she wanted some alone time, Ayaka couldn't help but wonder how much better this little night walk would be if a friend accompanied her. Though she wished for it, she knew that, besides Thoma, she had no friends. It's honestly really upsetting to hear how the eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan has no friends.
Ayaka glanced up at the full moon. She didn't know how long she stared at the moon but no matter how long it was, it felt incredibly short. She suddenly heard a rustle from a bush behind her. Ayaka immediately turned to the bush, in position to draw out her sword.
"Who's there!?" She exclaimed.
She tensed up as she saw a black shadow leaving the bush. She could tell it was human but couldn't make up their face. They suddenly offered they're hand and while Ayaka was hesitant, she loosened up and reached for it before a white ghost jumped at her. The ghost was not scary at all, in fact, Ayaka considered it quite adorable but she didn't expect such a thing to happen. Ayaka immediately jumped and did a small startled scream before stepping back and falling over. She quickly sat back up and looked up to see who was in front of her to only see Hu Tao, chuckling from her little prank.
"Give you a fright? Honestly, who would come to a forest like this late at night? Hehe" Hu Tao giggled.
Ayaka sulked from the disrespect she was just given by a random stranger. Though she was slightly irritated, she was relieved it was no threat.
"Oh, it's you! I saw you in Inazuma City with some of your colleagues" Ayaka said, she wasn't quite sure what to say to her, after all, she had just been pranked.
"Oh? So you saw me today in the city? Hehe! I'm not quite sure if I made a good impression over there, so here!" Hu Tao extended her hand to Ayaka who was still on the ground. Ayaka accepted her hand and reached out, standing back up again.
"I'm Hu Tao! The current Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Director of Liyue!" Hu Tao introduced herself to the Shirasagi Himegimi.
"Oh! Well, my name is Ayaka, Kamisato Ayaka. Eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan of The Yashiro Commission" Ayaka introduced herself to Hu Tao though Hu Tao gave a cheeky smile.
"Oh ok! Nice to meet you, Ayaya!" Hu Tao said, clearly incorrecting Ayaka's name.
"I'm afraid you've mistaken. It's Ayaka" She proceeded to correct the director who was clearly aware of her "mistake".
"Alright, Ayaya! It's a pleasure to meet you!" Hu Tao offered her hand. Ayaka sighed in defeat, she could tell that she wouldn't be able to get through Hu Tao so she reached for her hand again for a firm handshake.
"Well, Hu Tao, welcome to Inazuma. I hope your stay here will be more than pleasant"
Hu Tao happily smiled.
"Come on, let's cross over!" Hu Tao said happily and started skipping away.
"Uhhhh do you mean..?" Ayaka left her sentence unfinished. Judging from her ghost themes and how she's the director of a funeral parlor, it wasn't strange to assume.
"Aiya! I mean cross over the forest! I don't mean crossing into the afterlife!" Hu Tao corrected the Shirasagi Himegimi. Ayaka was still reluctant to follow this stranger to leave the forest so she thought that she should be the one to lead to avoid any suspicion.
"Hey, I'll help you get out of this place. After all, I believe I'm more familiar with the area. I can take you back to your hotel but it is quite late and the Estate is closer than the city..."
Hu Tao clearly understood what the other was implying but would rather save the trouble of staying at another place.
"Oh no! I can easily find my way back to the city once we're out of the forest! No need to trouble yourself!" Hu Tao swiftly declined the offer that wasn't even mentioned yet but easily knew where it was going.
"Certainly not! I will not allow a visitor of Inazuma to wander late at night by themself!" Ayaka protested.
"No, it's ok! I walk in the dark all the time back in Liyue, I think I'll be ok!"
"But this isn't Liyue. Trust me, it'll be better to take you back to the Estate" Ayaka grabbed Hu Tao's wrist with haste and then started dragging the director.
Hu Tao sort of gave up and knew Ayaka was someone she shouldn't worry about with robbery or anything. She heard a lot about the eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan when they all arrived in Inazuma. She heard about how Ms Kamisato is a lady of elegance and perfection who's kind and caring, Hu Tao didn't expect to meet the Shirasagi Himegimi already on the first day or at all. Hu Tao did question why Ayaka immediately trusted her enough to sleep over at her own living area, after all, they just met.
"Hey, why are you taking me to your estate? We just met and all and you're just gonna take me to your house just because I'm not from here? Aren't you worried I'll rob you or something?" Hu Tao questioned Ayaka's choices, Hu Tao is also slightly concerned for her co-workers when they find out she's missing in the morning, emphasis on slightly.
"Well, even though my first impression of you was, I would say, immature, I think I can see when there's a treasure hoarder in front of me or a normal person like myself" Ayaka said, Hu Tao thought her reason was sort of stupid but thought, maybe her instincts were correct because Ayaka was correct about Hu Tao. Then Hu Tao gave a cheeky grin.
"Hehe, you know you shouldn't always trust people just by instincts alone..." Hu Tao pulled out a ghost out of nowhere again and startled the poor princess again. Ayaka did not fall back again but jumped from the shock. Hu Tao giggled, seeing how the same trick worked twice while Ayaka turned to the prankster with a cherry red face from the embarrassment.
"H-hey! You need to stop doing that!" Ayaka softly yelled at Hu Tao who's giggles became real laughter. Ayaka paused and acknowledged the more immature ones' laughter before continuing their small journey back to the estate with the two creating conversations.
At the estate, everyone was asleep except for Thoma who patiently waited for Ayaka's return but didn't expect for her to bring back a guest. Since it was so late and they wanted to avoid waking anyone, Thoma just left for bed while Ayaka insisted that she prepare Hu Tao's futon.
While she lays it on the ground in her bedroom, she quietly asks Hu Tao "Will you be alright to sleep here with me tonight?".
Hu Tao only nodded and smiled, avoiding any talking so she didn't wake anyone. Ayaka placed Hu Tao's futon right next to her's and once the two were in bed, Ayaka seemed to have immediately fallen asleep after tucked in while Hu Tao took a few more minutes to drift off to sleep. But before she did, she glanced at the Shirasagi Himegimi and her face, peacefully in slumber.